When you think of an athlete, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps it’s a muscular physique, the kind that graces olympic athletes and professional body builders. You might also imagine someone training hard, drinking a lot of water and eating a lot of protein.
On the other hand, when you think of a plant-based diet, images of salad, soy milk and wild berries might come to mind — foods that we don’t necessarily associate with strength or athletic achievement. But, did you know that some of the worlds most famous and successful athletes thrive on a plant-based diet?
American Tennis superstar, Venus Williams has followed a vegan diet for nearly 10 years after a doctor suggested the diet would help improve her energy levels and relieve joint pain [1]. Now, Williams credits the diet to not only helping combat her symptoms, but helping her to excel on the court. The tennis star has since won 21 Grand Slam titles.
In 2017, an entire NFL football team, th. e Tennessee Titans, switched to a vegan-plant based diet. Individual players reported that the diet helped to improve energy levels while still maintaining their weight for the upcoming season [2].
While a plant-based vegan diet isn’t guaranteed to turn you into a superstar athlete, it can definitely help you step up your game.
Let’s dive in.
A plant-based diet may improve energy levels
The idea that plant-based diets can improve energy levels aren’t just reported by professional athletes, but also by science.
A standard American diet usually includes refined grains, processed meats and added sugars and oils. When over-consumed, these foods can spike insulin levels, leading to a rise and crash in energy and blood sugar levels.
On the other hand, incorporating more plant-based foods that are rich in nutrients, antioxidants and fibres helps to stabilize blood sugars as these foods provide a more steady source of fuel to the body. This can help optimize training and recovery, as well as fight fatigue between training sessions.
A plant-based diet can be protein-rich, supporting muscle growth and recovery
Athletes can thrive on a plant-based diet sourcing 100% of their protein from plants.
This is because there are many sources of complete plant proteins. Complete proteins mean that they contains all nine essential amino acids required for muscle growth and recovery.
Most athletes need at least 1.5–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Athletes can easily incorporate the following complete protein sources to meet their protein needs:
- Tofu (1/2 cup) — 12 grams of protein
- Tempeh (1/2 cup) — 15 grams of protein
- Quinoa (3/4 cup) — 5 grams of protein
- Soy Milk (1 cup) — 8 grams of protein
- Edamame (1/2 cup) — 10 grams of protein
Athletes, including plant-based athletes, need to pay attention to the individual amino acid leucine. This amino acid stimulates muscle protein synthesis (MPS). Lentils and beans are considered to be the best source of plant-based leucine.
To learn more about how to get enough protein on a plant-based diet, read our article here:
A plant-based diet can reduce the risk of chronic disease, helping athletes have longer, healthier careers
Diet is the second greatest risk to the development of chronic disease, just behind smoking.
Chronic diseases include heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, cancer and more. These diseases are preventable, yet the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 60% of all global deaths are attributed to chronic diseases [3].
Healthy, plant-based diets that are rich in vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds and plant-based proteins are consistently associated with lower cancer risk and heart disease risk [4].
This means that adhering to a plant-based diet may help athletes ward off their risk of chronic disease in the future, helping them to have a longer and healthier athletic career.
The bottom line
As athletes are already active — and exercise is an important lifestyle factor to improve longevity and combat disease — a plant-based diet is a great side-kick to help them reach their athletic goals while improving their overall health 💪
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